09.06.2006
The Truth About Eating Oysters
Do you really love oysters but have been afraid to eat them because of the potential hazards you’ve heard about? You are not alone. Millions of people love to eat oysters. Whether you eat them in moderation or by the dozen, these delightful mollusks provide a low-calorie protein that is an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids.
While not a serious threat to healthy individuals, consumption of raw or undercooked oysters by at-risk individuals may cause serious illness or even death from Vibrio vulnificus bacteria. So how do you know what to do? The best thing to do is educate yourself. A good starting place for this education is the www.BeOysterAware.com website that was launched by the South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation in April.
This web site is dedicated to educating the oyster consuming public about Vibrio vulnificus. It provides a thorough background on Vibrio vulnificus, the natural occurring bacteria that presents the problem to a small percentage of the population that is at risk. It covers the health conditions that place an individual in the at-risk category. There is also information about tasty oyster products with reduced risk for all consumers to enjoy, including at-risk consumers.
As an oyster lover you owe it to yourself to take the time to learn more about eating oysters at the www.BeOysterAware.com web site. This should be your first step to safe oyster consumption. If you are still concerned or determine you are in the at-risk category, two safety measures are to: only eat oysters that have undergone one of the post-harvest treatments described on the BeOysterAware.com web site; or make sure you always cook these tasty little mollusks.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing, has developed simple recipes for cooked oysters that you can add to your chest of culinary tricks. Here are a few of the simple and tasty recipes. You’ll find more recipes at www.FL-Seafood.com.
Lemon Garlic Oysters
36 Florida oysters in the shell
12 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped garlicWash oysters thoroughly. Shuck and place oyster meat on deep half of shell; remove any remaining shell particles. Arrange on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes; let cool. Top each oyster with 1/2 teaspoon of butter mixture and bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 10 minutes or until edges begin to curl.
Yield: 6 servings.
Red Hot Oysters
36 Florida oysters in the shell
6 tablespoons hot pepper sauceWash oysters thoroughly. Shuck and place oysters on deep half of shell; remove any remaining shell particles. Arrange oysters on a baking sheet and top with 1/2 teaspoon of sauce. Bake oysters in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until edges begin to curl.
Yield: 6 servings
Wine-Baked Oysters and Crab
36 Florida oysters in the shell
1 pound Florida crab meat
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons white wine or sherry
10 ounces low-fat Swiss cheese, gratedWash oysters thoroughly. Shuck and place oysters on deep half of shell removing any remaining particles of shell. Arrange oysters on baking sheet and set aside. Combine crab meat with remaining ingredients; mix well. Top each oyster with 1 teaspoon of mixture and bake in a pre-heated oven at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes or until edges begin to curl.
Yield: 6 servings
